It's exam season, with SATs for Y2 and Y6, GCSEs for Y11, and end-of-year assessments for everyone else. Stress levels are rising, and mental health concerns are on everyone's mind, especially as 81% of school leaders now worry more about students' mental wellbeing during exams.

Let's ease the pressure. Explore key ways to support pupils through exam season. Discover stress-management strategies for schools, plus tools that parents and teachers can use to support students. You can make a world of difference in helping pupils stay cool, calm and collected during this stressful time.

We cover:

• Helping pupils manage exam stress and anxiety 
• Engaging parents to help manage pupils’ stress at home
• Reaching busy parents and stressed pupils more effectively 

Let’s go. 

Helping pupils manage exam stress and anxiety

Help stressed pupils tackle SATs, GCSEs, and end-of-year assessments with some extra support. Oxford Home Schooling discovered that 37% of GCSE pupils feel exam stress, so it's time to address those jitters and help improve their mental health. 

Without action, pupils like Jemma, a GCSE student, can spiral: "Feeling that bad makes you feel like nothing's right. Everything's going to go bad." Overwhelmed by stress, she worries about not getting her desired grades, feeling like she's "just going to fail, and then there's nowhere else to go." 

Let's change that narrative for stressed and anxious pupils. Here are effective strategies that strike a balance between your budget and pupil well-being. 

1. Promote self-care

Self-care isn't exclusive to yoga enthusiasts - it's an effective way to boost pupil wellbeing and minimise exam stress. Instead of delivering a lecture-style presentation, make it fun and interactive by designing daily self-care challenges. Encourage pupil to complete various tasks, like taking a walk, getting eight hours of sleep or jotting down thoughts in a gratitude journal. Don't forget to acknowledge and celebrate their progress along the way, as this can encourage consistency and inspire less-enthusiastic students. 

Incorporate self-care into classroom activities too, by starting each class with a mindfulness exercise or ending the week with a fun activity that promotes relaxation and stress relief. For instance, teachers could guide pupils through a five senses exploration, asking them to identify several things they can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste to help them focus on the present moment and unwind.

Pupils who struggle with anxiety or depression often face heightened stress during exam periods. While hiring a school counsellor creates a safe and confidential space for such students to discuss their concerns, it can also be costly, with expenses ranging from £300 to £400 per pupil. 

If this is outside your budget, consider alternative options, such as peer support programs or online counselling platforms. You could also collaborate with local mental health organisations as they may be able to provide workshops or support groups for your pupils. To further enrich this support, teachers could have a readily available collection of online mental health resources to share, guiding pupils towards valuable help like:

• Young Minds - Exam stress guide
• Mind - Exam stress advice for 11-18 year olds
• The Calm Zone - Calm’s guide to exam stress
• Royal College of Psychiatrists - Coping with stress for young people
• Mind - Managing stress and building resilience
• Mentally Healthy Schools - Young people’s wellbeing guide for stressful situations
• NHS Inform - What to do if you are struggling with stress
• Barnardo’s - Tips and Tricks for Anxiety 
• KidsHealth - 5 Ways to Cope with Anxiety (for Teens)

You’ve likely already shared past papers that have been released by the exam board to help pupils manage exam stress, or you’re planning to. There are a few extra things you can do to further help pupils get more comfortable with sitting their exams. 

Encourage pupils to form study buddies or small groups. It's a great way for them to learn together and support each other. You could also introduce them to the exam environment ahead of time - show them the room, explain the rules, the timings, and the role of the invigilator. It takes away the element of surprise and helps to ease nerves.

Revision guides for SATs and GCSEs can be beneficial, especially for pupils who find studying alone tricky. Teachers can guide them through these, making revision more fun and less of a chore. And while practice tests can feel a bit scary, let's reframe them as helpful tools. They're not mini-exams, but opportunities to learn and improve. 

Engaging parents to help manage pupils’ stress at home 

Teachers can only do so much to help pupils manage exam stress within their busy schedules. Parents stepping in to share the responsibility can ease the load on teachers. This collaboration can also greatly enhance pupils' well-being at home during the exam preparation period.

But parents aren’t always equipped to help their children cope during the exam season. They either don’t know how or are too busy to offer adequate support. School leaders can tackle the first issue by:

Workshops led by school counsellors, mental health professionals or experienced educators can give parents the knowledge they need to support their children during the exam season. Sessions could address topics like identifying stress indicators in children and offering emotional support. Additionally, they could teach practical stress management methods, such as breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques. Workshops can also address effective study habits, time management and balancing academics with relaxation and self-care.

Provide stress-busting resources, such as articles, videos, podcasts or webinars that offer guidance on supporting children during exam season. Cover topics such as the different aspects of exam preparation and stress management, including how to create a conducive study space at home. To make these resources easily accessible and convenient for busy parents, distribute them through newsletters, your school website or a communication and engagement platform. 

Bring parents together by setting up support groups, fun social events, or online chat groups where they can share tips, stories and advice on helping their kids tackle exam stress. Virtual events make them accessible to the majority of parents, driving attendance. You could also provide resources and guidance to help parents create their own support groups, social events or workshops within the school community, taking the pressure off your school and its staff.

Reaching busy parents and stressed pupils more effectively  

When parents are swamped and can't make it to workshops or meet-ups, you might wonder, "How else can I help?" Making communication more effortless between parents and their schools can benefit everyone involved. We’re not talking about developing telepathic powers but rather looking to technology.

Enter Reach More Parents. It’s an intuitive, easy-to-use communication and engagement platform for parents, pupils and teachers. Over 700 schools in the UK are successfully using it to streamline communication and engage with parents – even those who’ve been historically challenging to reach. They’re also harnessing it to communicate with pupils more effectively.  

Whether it's being used as a tool to engage with parents or communicate with students, the platform provides various ways to help tackle exam stress. 

1. Easy access to exam dates

Worries about exam dates can make everyone anxious. Pupils might stress about preparing well and managing time, while parents can find it tricky to stay updated and avoid double-booking events. 

Teachers can set exam dates within Reach More Parent's calendar, making them easy to spot for both parents and pupils who'll likely check their digital devices more than a school notice board. This nifty feature also saves time for busy teachers who don't need to keep reminding everyone of exam details – making life a little bit easier for all involved.

2. Share praise and feedback

Parents can breathe a little easier knowing their child is doing well in pre-exam assessments, potentially reducing pressure on pupils too. Keep parents informed about their child’s progress by using Reach More Parents' in-app messaging to send updates and share achievements. 

So far, hundreds of millions of messages have been delivered to parents, keeping them informed about crucial matters such as their child's academic progress. Likewise, teachers can use this feature to communicate with students, sharing words of encouragement as they study hard for their exams. This open line of communication makes it faster and easier for teachers to communicate success stories with parents and pupils, saving them precious time. 

From increasing your lifespan to lowering pain levels, positivity is like a magical elixir – just without the expensive price tag. Students can benefit from your positivity too. And it’s easy. You just have to post messages on Reach More Parents’ newsfeed, whether you're sharing exam tips, celebrating small victories, or just saying “Good Luck” – every bit counts in making exams a little less daunting. And don't forget to share easy tips and tricks for parents on how they can support their children in managing exam stress, all while keeping the tone upbeat and encouraging.

The communication and engagement platform features a digital library that'll leave you wondering how you ever managed without it. Adding and sharing resources, like articles on exam stress management, becomes a piece of cake. 

Plus, since the app makes reaching parents and students much easier, the resources you provide become more accessible and effective. It could also reduce the time teachers spend answering questions around exam stress. Freeing them up to focus on other important tasks, while creating a more efficient and supportive learning environment.

Tackle exam stress from every angle 

Exams are a major stress source for pupils. And let's not forget, the added pressure on parents and teachers makes it a tricky time for them too. When everyone's feeling the strain, it can unintentionally rub off on students, amplifying their anxiety and worries during the crucial weeks leading up to their exams.

Reach More Parents’ helpful features, such as its digital library, in-app messaging and newsfeed, provide an easy way to communicate, share resources and engage with one another. This can go a long way in alleviating exam stress for everyone. To recap, it helps you reduce exam stress by:

• Highlighting exam dates clearly
• Updating parents on student progress
• Encouraging a positive atmosphere
• Sharing exam stress management techniques

Create a calmer environment this exam season. You might even help build emotional resilience in pupils, so they find it easier to not only deal with their exams but other life pressures too. 

If you’re interested in any of our software or services, from the Weduc communications platform to our parent app and custom-branded apps for schools, drop us a line via our enquiry form, or give us a call on 01509 221 349.